First Woman CEO Appointed at Aspen Music Festival and School
Meghan Umber, the current president of the Hollywood Bowl and chief programming officer for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is set to make history as the first female president and CEO of the Aspen Music Festival and School, a position she will assume on October 1, 2026. She succeeds Alan Fletcher, who served for 21 years. Having started her journey as an intern at the LA Phil two decades ago, Umber intends to enhance Fletcher's initiatives in campus redevelopment and community engagement. Her goals include promoting diversity among conductors, performers, and commissioned composers, while also broadening the festival's international presence. A decade ago, she was captivated by Aspen's unique atmosphere and the collaboration between students and faculty. This fall, she will relocate to the Roaring Fork Valley with her family.
Key facts
- Meghan Umber is the first woman president and CEO in the Aspen Music Festival and School's 77-year history.
- She will assume the role on October 1, 2026.
- Umber replaces Alan Fletcher, who served for 21 years.
- She currently serves as president of the Hollywood Bowl and chief programming officer at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
- Umber started her career as an intern at the LA Phil two decades ago.
- She first visited Aspen about a decade ago after the Bucksbaum Campus opened.
- Umber aims to diversify conductors, performers, and commissioned composers.
- She wants to increase the festival's global visibility.
Entities
Artists
- Meghan Umber
- Alan Fletcher
Institutions
- Aspen Music Festival and School
- Hollywood Bowl
- Los Angeles Philharmonic
- University of Southern California
Locations
- Aspen
- Roaring Fork Valley
- Los Angeles
- Minnesota